Expanding Education Expands Minds
In “Complexity of Identity” Beverly Daniel Tatum discusses the social implications of education among subordinate groups and the effect it has on the way we see ourselves. Tatum states that “The salience of particular aspects of our identity varies at different moments of our lives. The process of integrating the component parts of our self-definition is indeed a lifelong journey” (Tatum 10). How we view ourselves changes throughout life, but society tends to influence that greatly and can even alter how we see ourselves. Our self-identity isn’t just what we think and how we see ourselves, but it also depends on factors such as our appearance, age, gender, social status, etc. If you come from a subordinate group, then your self-identity will depend greatly on how others perceive you. “Dominant groups, by definition, set the parameter within which the subordinates operate. The dominant group holds the power and the authority in society relative to the subordinates and determines how that power and authority may be acceptably used” (Tatum 11). This means that in order for minority groups to prosper, in has to be behind the spotlight of a dominant group. Society has led these minority groups to believe that the can not prosper past what a dominant group can succeed at. Tatum states that “Whether it is reflected in determining who gets the best jobs, whose history will be taught in school, or whose relationships will be validated by society, the dominant group has the greatest influence in determining the structure of society” (Tatum 12). This puts minority groups at a disadvantage when it comes to every opportunity that they come across. More times than not, the person from the dominant group will be selected, leaving the minority group afraid to try again and reach higher goals.
In “Teaching to Transgress” by Bell Hooks, Hooks states that “Because the colonizing forces are so powerful in this white supremacist capitalist patriarchy, it seems that black people are always having to renew a commitment to a decolonizing political process that should be fundamental to our lives and is not” (Hooks 47). Freire’s work was so crucial to the struggle between domination and the colonizing mindset because it allowed people to begin to question the unequal distribution of power in society. Freire’s work inspired other minority and feminist groups like Hooks to think outside of social norms and question their own abilities which society has suppressed. Jose Calderon further adds to this theory in “Perspective-Taking as a tool for building democratic societies”. Calderon states that “the ability to communicate one’s perspective affects one’s ability to participate in society, and with it, one’s access to power” (Calderon 1). Calderon’s inability to speak English as a child made him belong to a subordinate group which put him at a great disadvantage growing up. He goes on to state that “Certain individuals or groups have the power to define dominant culture, and therefore the power to oppress or liberate others” (Calderon 2). All of these readings help emphasize the importance self-identity and prospering in society as a member of a subordinate group. Calderon demonstrated this by learning English and becoming a professor as an adult, Tatum’s work helped establish what defines your self-identity and the factors that affect it, and Freire did this by inspiring other minority groups to question societal norms and powerhouses.
All of these readings helped me understand the significance of liberatory education or education for freedom because they each emphasize the importance of using educating as a stepping ladder to get out of a subordinate group in society. Calderon’s work really emphasized the importance of having to learn English in order to be viewed differently by society. He states that “Power exists in language, too, where words create a foundation for understanding” (Calderon 2). By learning English, he was able to make a life for himself and reach higher goals that wouldn’t have been attainable without it. In order for a subordinate group to make something of themselves and build a better life, they must attain the necessary skills which they can recieve through education. Without education these minority groups would not have the same opportunities that they have if they went to school and expanded their knowledge.
Many of the children that I work with at my community service partner, come from low income families and are undocumented. Simply by being a part of the University Prep program, they are putting themselves at an advantage compared to other children from their neighborhood who think that they are unable to go to college. By helping these children with simple tasks such as with their homework, they are helping themselves grow out of the subordinate group in which they are currently in and assimilate into the dominant group of college graduates. The children that are a part of this program are at a huge advantage compared to some of their other classmates who do not participate in it because they are being given the tools necessary to be able to build a better life for themselves. Some things that I can do to practice perspective-taking in my community partner experience is to talk to the kids that I work with about their daily lives and help them with whatever I can. The way that these kids see themselves greatly affects how much they will strive at their goals in life. Most of the kids in the UP! program are adolescents which means that their social identity means a lot to them at this point in their lives. How society sees them unfortunately currently defines them, but by going to college and getting an education, they will be breaking societal norms and allowing more minorities to become a part of the dominant group of society.
